Internal-combustion engine heater



Jan. 27, 1948-. H. M. Raw 1 2,435,101

INTERNAL- COMBUSTION ENGINE HEATER Filed March 26, 1946 INVENTOR M m" M Patented Jan. 27, 1.948

UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE INTERNAL-COMBUSTION ENGINE HEATER Henry Milton Reich, Pittsburgh, Pa.

Application March 26, 1946, 'Seria'INo. 657,226

1 Claim. 1

This invention relates to new and useful improvements in heating systems for the cooling jackets of automobile engines and it is among the objects thereof to provide a heater which is connected with the cooling water circulating system of automobile engines in a, manner to provide circulation of the fluid to and from the heater through the cooling system of the engine.

Another object of the invention is the provision of a heater of the above designated character which shall set up forced circulation of the cooling water through an automobile engine and which shall provide a maximum heating surface for the circulating fluid in a minimum space.

It is a further object of the invention to provide a heater of the above designated character which is designed to prevent the collection of dust around the heating and circulating elements.

These and other objects of the invention will become more apparent from a consideration of the accompanying drawing constituting a part hereof in which like reference characters designate like parts, and in which Fig. 1 is a front elevational view, partially in cross section, of a water heater for automobile engines embodying the principles of this invention; and

Fig. 2 a side elevational view of an automobile engine illustrating the application of the heater thereto.

In the drawing the numeral 1 indicates a housing for a double heating coil consisting of the coils 2 and 3 having a common inlet 4 and a common outlet 5 to provide the maximum heating surface with the minimum resistance to the flow of fluid therethrough. Housing l is mounted by legs 6 on a bracket 1 having a hanger strap 8 which, together with the straps 9 on the housing I, constitute the mounting lugs by which the heater is mounted to the side of the engine l0, Fig. 2. Mounted on the bracket 1 is a bulb socket II for receiving an electrical heating element l2, the socket ll being connected by a conduit 13 having a terminal plug M for insertion in a convenient outlet in a garage.

The electrical heating element I2 is of conical shape, as shown, to prevent the dust from collecting 0n the wall thereof, the occurrence of which is further reduced by the use of a screen 15 across the bottom opening of the housing I.

As shown in Fig. 2, the water heater is attached to the engine for use in unheated garages to maintain the cooling fluid of the engine not only below freezing temperatures but at such temperatures as to prevent congealing of the lubricating fluid and allow for easy starting of the motor for use. One of the features of the invention is the connection of the heater I to the circulating system of the engine in such a manner as to insure free circulation of all the fluid in the engine jacket. The inlet 4 is accordingly connected at some point adjacent the crank case of the engine at the bottom thereof, and the outlet is connected at the rear of the engine to a plug l6 provided for the purpose.

The operation of the heater is briefly as follows. When the automobile is placed in the garage the terminal plug I4 is inserted in a convenient outlet and, the heater I2 is energized to heat the coils 2 and 3. If the connection is made while the engine is still warm, no heat is required to initially heat the cooling fluid of the motor, but due to the localized heating of the coils 2 and 3 the fluid of the engine will immediately set up circulation in the coils 2 and 3 from the lower portion at the inlet 4 around the coil to the outlet 5 and then to the cooling jacket of the engine l0. Similar devices heretofore proposed connect the heater to the forepart of the engine and at the back thereof, with the cooling water pump between the inlet and outlet connections, which interferes with proper circulation of the fluid because the pump acts as a valve. By connecting the heater as shown in Fig. 2, the pump between the radiator and the engine does not interfere with circulation of the fluid in the cooling jacket of the engine, and if the cooling Water is maintained at a suitable temperature the water in the radiator will be maintained at a non-freezing temperature by conduction and partially by displacement of the circulating fluid in the engine.

A water heater of the type herein disclosed provides a simple and inexpensive means of maintaining a suitable engine temperature in cold weather and is especially useful in non-heated garages; and by means of the double heating coil and conical heating element maximum circulation is obtained. Because of the conical shape of the heating element the circulation of the fluid from the inlet 4 to the outlet 5 is expedited because as the temperature of the fluid increases while rising in the coil it is subjected to more intense heat, thereby speeding up circulation as it reaches the top coils before passing into the cooling system of the-engine.

Although one embodiment of the invention has been herein illustrated and described, it will be evident to those skilled in the art that various modifications may be made in the details of conheating element of inverted frusto-conical shape disposed within the coil to accelerate the circulation of fluid from the bottom to the top of the" coil, said housing having a screened opening 'at the bottom thereof, said coil being connected with the rear of the engine cooling system at one end thereof and adjacent the crank case of the engine at the other end of the coil intermediate said first-named connection and the cooling fluid pump HENRY LHLTON REICH.

REFERENCES CITED The following references are of record in the file of this patent:

UNITED STATES PATENTS Number Name Date 1,716,996 Adam June 11, 1929 1,773,806 Bowen et a1 Aug. 26, 1930 1,797,861 Gittler Mar. 24, 1931 1,809,077 Shuman June 9, 1931 1,911,123 Knight May 23, 1933 2,118,116 Schweitzer May 24, 1938 2,194,765 Meyer et a1. Mar. 26, 1940 

